Geomechanics Blog Posts
Testing the Safety of Reinforced Concrete Beams with an App
The Parameterized Concrete Beam demo app is based on a model of a reinforced concrete beam. It can be used to easily compute the beam’s deflection and axial stress over a range of parameters.
Introducing Nonlinear Elastic Materials
Examples of nonlinear elastic material models: Ramberg-Osgood, Duncan-Chang, Hardin-Drnevich, Power law, and more. We discuss how to apply nonlinear elastic materials in your analyses.
Yield Surfaces and Plastic Flow Rules in Geomechanics
Have you noticed that offshore structures are being constructed in deeper and deeper waters? See how geotechnical engineers are using numerical simulations to cope with this trend.
Digging into COMSOL’s Geomechanics Module
I will always remember a Geotechnical Engineering class I took during the pursuit of my Civil Engineering degree. It contained both the high and low points for that academic semester; the lab portion was a lot of fun, learning about (read: playing with) the different soils and clays existing in the state of Georgia. The final project, on the other hand, tasked us with designing a retaining wall to match certain specifications — a tough and lengthy assignment. A retaining […]
Is Fracking Safe? Scientists Turn to Simulation to Investigate
Hydraulic fracturing (popularly referred to as “fracking”) is a method to increase production of oil and gas from certain types of geological formations. It has been used for decades, but recently, as the practice has increased, fracking has become a controversial topic. I will avoid taking sides in this debate, but the fact that there is a conflict implies there needs to be a deeper understanding of the process and its effects.